


I'm sorry it had to end this way

by CherriesAndMangoes



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula apologizes, Azula dies young when she's in the psych ward, Azula's last words to her friends, Post-redemption???, Random & Short, This randomly came to me sorry if it's stupid, Zuko forgives Azula, only one chapter, short and sad, tyzula - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:14:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26760466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherriesAndMangoes/pseuds/CherriesAndMangoes
Summary: When Azula gets sick her final wish is to say goodbye to her friends. She is still in the mental institution but she has changed to be better. Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee arrive to say goodbye to their old friend before she dies. Since Azula hasn't seen Mai or Ty Lee since the boiling rock saying goodbye to them is going to be even harder.All the rights to these characters belong to Bryke!
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 52





	I'm sorry it had to end this way

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a random story I wrote cause I was super sad and wanted a good cry. Pls leave a comment or something I rly would love feedback!

The only thing Azula asked for was to see her old friends again. Just one last time, after everything that happened just one last time. Zuko heard of his sister falling ill in the psych ward however he didn't know her life was slowly fading out. When the messenger hawk brought the scroll to the Firelord, his heart sank. He realized that this was finally the end, the agni kai was supposed to be the end. But Zuko took her to the psych ward instead of locking her up, there she got just a little better. She still had bad days where she fell back into her old habits. Zuko was told she was in no shape to go back out into the world.

But when she got sick and medication wouldn't help her anymore, Azula changed. She became quieter and no longer screamed at her nurses. She only asked to be allowed to bend every other day of the week. She would walk out to the middle of the yard area of the psychiatric facility and practice bending forms. Nurses would watch her shoot blue fire in the air around her for two hours. Then she'd return to her room, quietly. There was no fuss and no fighting. The sicker she got the less time she would spend bending and the more time she would spend drawing.

With a piece of chalk she'd draw all over the walls and then erase and start again. She drew the agni kai, she drew Mai and Ty Lee at the ember island beach house. She would draw the avatar's sky bison, she'd draw the waterbender girl. And lastly she would draw her mother. Gone was the cruel princess and in her place was one who seemed blank and empty. Drawing and bending every day, until her final morning. She woke up coughing up blood, and thats when she knew. She left her room and stood in the sun letting the rays wash over her frail body.

The nurses waited and watched her sit in the sun as tears rolled down her face. And for the first time in weeks the princess spoke, her voice no longer sharp. "I'm leaving soon, tell the firelord I want him and my friends-my old friends" the nurses nodded and left Azula to go back to her room by herself. She walked up the stairs and began to worry _What if they dont want to see me? what if Mai won't come? where is Ty Lee now? Do they hate me now._ Azula let out a dry chuckle, of course they hated her she threw them in prison. Everyone hated her, she had nobody left. Once she was the strongest firebender, the beloved princess, with blue fire and powerful lightning. Everything was in the palm of her hand. The gleam in her fathers eye when she presented him with her blue fire, she had felt so happy so loved. But his love was never for her, it was for the flames that she could make. _What would he say if he saw me now, on my last day._ She ducks into the bathroom where she watches herself in the mirror, Black tangled hair and sunken brown eyes. _What happened to their golden gleam? What happened to my hair? what happened to me?_

She thought of Lo and Li two old women who had raised her, raised her to be regal and perfect. All which she was she was the most perfect princess. Until things changed Zuko left her friends left and so did father. He left to go burn down Ba Sing Se without her. The comet came, so did Zuko and Katara. The crown was on Zuko's head and Azula was in chains. Things changed so fast, so awfully fast. 

Azula picked up the chalk twirling it in between her fingers, and she tied her hair back into a bun. It wasn't nearly as perfect as it used to be, but it was a bun again and she felt a little more like herself again. Pulling out two strands with her chalk coated fingers she took a shaky breath and began to draw. 

First an infant girl resting in a young boys hands

then the same girl running after the boy who was also a little order

the girl surrounded by two other little girls and the boy standing further away

the girl now older holding the hand of one of the girls as the other girl stood to the side

the girl now once again with the boy and the two other girls

the girl alone surrounded by flames

the girl surrounded by ice

the girl alone in a tiny room 

She stepped back from the wall sighing and staring at the drawing of her life. _Should I draw mother and father? No of course not_ she threw the chalk down as her chest tightened and she let out a muffled whimper as her lungs started to burn. Nurses came in and propped her onto the tiny bed with a pillow under her head. _i hope they get here soon, I have to say sorry, ty lee._ Azula shuts her eyes and waits.

Zuko holds Mai's hand as Ty Lee leads the way through the facility. It took him a long time to convince Mai to come, but when she heard that Azula was dying she didn't argue and went to tell Ty Lee. Ty Lee burst into tears when she heard, she quickly ran to Zuko and insisted they go immediately. But it didn't change the fact that Mai and Ty Lee last saw Azula when she threw them in prison. 

"I don't understand, what am i even supposed to say to her Zuko?" Mai says to a pale Zuko as Ty Lee chews her lip. Zuko looks back at Mai and squeezes her hand "I don't know but she's dying so we have to see her" he replies.

Mai's eyes soften below her bangs. And she reaches for the door handle, "i'll go in first" she says to a trembling Ty Lee

Azula's eyes flicker open to see Mai sitting by her bed. Mai doesn't look at her until Azula finally chokes a word out, "hello Mai long time no see" she says to the dark haired girl. Mai's face doesn't change at all.

"Hello Azula, so your dying?" she says cooly. Azula giggles and Mai tenses up 

"Oh Mai always so blunt, yes death is knocking on my door" she exclaims lightheartedly. But Mai see's the fear in Azula's eyes. 

"why did you want me here Azula" she asks

"to say sorry to you, I'm sorry Mai" Azula says sitting up slightly. Mai shakes her head, "you know I can't forgive you, you were ready to kill me" she says to the princess

"I understand, it was always Zuko for you wasn't it?" Azula says as she picks the chalk back up and sketches a flower on the wall by her bed. Mai narrows her eyes 

"Azula don't wear yourself out" She says to Azula who is struggling to stay standing up. Azula smiles and tries to say something but instead she let's out a yelp in pain and collapses onto the ground of the ward. Mai rushes forward and tries to pick a crying Azula up. Azula looks up at her old friends face.

"Mai please, just answer this question for me?" she says through tears. Mai looks down at the once fearsome princess, "fine Azula spit it out" 

"were we ever friends Mai?"

"yes" 

"really?" Azula says with hope in her voice

"maybe once when we were kids, but you got worse and it faded away" Mai says coldly

"thank you for being honest Mai, i'm sorry for everything. Do you think we could've been friends if i wasn't so bad?"

"yes" 

"oh well then i'll hope for that, in the next life okay?" Azula says smiling weakly

"Your awfully cheerful for someone who's dying" Mai says helping Azula back to the bed 

"Well Mai everyones cheerful compared to you" 

"maybe you hated me, but we grew up together" Azula says when Mai turns to leave the room

"I know, goodbye Azula" 

"goodbye Mai"

When Mai looks at Azula for the last time she can't help but feel a sinking feeling in her chest. Sitting in front of her was a frail girl with messy hair and old dingy pajamas. Not the princess adorned in beautiful red fabrics and golden accessories. Mai knew it would be the last time she'd see Azula ever again. And with that she turned the door knob and stepped into the hall. Ty Lee stood up quickly, Mai looks at Zuko. "she doesn't have much time" Mai whispers as she quickly walks away eager to feel the fresh air outside. 

Ty Lee goes in next. Her hand hovers over the doorknob knowing the girl she **used to love** is waiting inside, dying. But when she opens the door and see's Azula on the bed she can't help but run forward and pull the weak girl into a hug. Just like the way she hugged her when she came to fetch Ty Lee from the circus. Azula is shocked at the contact, she let's out a sob grateful that Ty Lee doesn't hate her _she should hate me though._ She wraps her arms around the kyoshi warrior and squeezes back sobbing into her shoulder. The light haired girl tries to hold back tears as she hugs Azula, princess Azula. Ty Lee's first love, who she still loved. She knew she still loved her the second she opened the door.

"I'm sorry I'm so sorry Ty Lee please, please forgive me" Azula sobs into the Kyoshi warriors shoulder. Ty Lee shakes her head, "shh i forgive you, you know I do" she says shakily not wanting to cry. Azula winces and Ty Lee eases her back onto the bed. She lays down on the tiny bed next to Azula. She wipes Azula's tears, Azula looks the way she did at ember island. Softer more like a teenager than a cold-blooded bender. Azula sobs softly and cups Ty Lee's face. 

"please forgive me i can't bear to leave this world without knowing you forgive me" she says pleading with Ty Lee. Ty Lee smiles

"You know I forgive you Azula, why didn't you say you were this sick sooner?" Ty Lee says once again wiping Azula's tears. Azula smiles weakly "i didn't think you would care i've hurt you enough, now Ty Lee?"

"yes Azula?" Ty Lee says as she searched Azula's eyes for the gleams of gold that used to glitter when Azula would laugh. Azula pulls Ty Lee's hands down away from her face. 

"I hurt you, i hurt everyone and i can't make up for it, i can't change my love for I've been this way too long. I'm my fathers daughter of course" she says crying as Ty Lee holds her hand

"We used to talk as kids about you coming to stay in the palace with me when i was firelord. We were going to be so happy, I would've been able to make you happy. But now that I think, i hurt you too much for that to ever be a possibility" 

Ty Lee leans in and presses her lips up to Azula's softly, the feeling so familiar. But this time it was different, Azula was different. Azula kissed her back closing her eyes shut just for a sweet second. Ty Lee, the only person she ever apologized to before she came into this place. At the beach where they kissed once, salty air and the sweet smell of the fruit Lo and Li had put out for them to eat. That moment was not like this one, that moment was innocent. Azula's body wasn't shutting down slowly, there she was the bold fierce princess. But now she's nothing but an empty shell of who she once was _This is a pity kiss, she feels sorry for you._ Azula pulls away and runs her hands through her hair in frustration.

"Why are you doing this? to make me feel better before I die?" the pain in her voice was heard by Ty Lee who began to cry herself. Ty Lee shook her head and reached forward for Azula. Who grabbed the waste basket and threw up some more blood. The tears roll down Ty Lee's face faster than they did before. She can't do anything but hold Azula. 

"I forgave you because I love you, I always have. And i always will, even when you go" she says caressing Azula's cheek softly

"I'm nothing but a monster" Azula says staring up at Ty Lee's big grey eyes 

"No your not, because I can see who you actually are. You are not your father, you're Azula " Ty Lee says soothingly. She kisses Azula's forehead. She begins to sob and Azula sits up quickly

"Ty Lee please don't cry for me, you won't miss me you have to go live your life. You have to go find love and be happy, but you need to leave this room because I need to talk to zuko before I go" 

"Azula please, I-"

"I know I know" Azula says holding on to Ty Lee's hands. Ty Lee kisses her once again, the two hug 

"I'm sorry we didn't get the life we planned my love, just know you'll be the last thing on my mind when it's time" Azula whispers into Ty Lee's ear as they hug. Ty Lee kisses Azula's cheek and squeezes Ty Lee's hands. Kissing the Kysohi warriors head, Azula turns around as Ty Lee leaves the room. _Next i have to say goodbye to Zuko_

Zuko doesn't hesitate he bursts through the door of Azula's room and looks at the drawings on the wall first. He sighs and turns to his little sister who is laying down on the bed. He sits down on the chair next to her 

"Do you like my art Zuzu?" Azula says smiling through her teary eyes as Zuko draws a finger over the portrait of their mother. 

"i always knew you were talented, but i never saw you draw" he says quietly

"father wouldn't ever let me do anything but train, I had to make up for where you lacked" Azula chuckled. Zuko rolled his eyes, "even on your deathbed you can make jokes about me?"

Azula nodded as tears ran down her cheek. Zuko buried his head in his hands, "if you had just said you were sick sooner you could've been helped" he says. Azula turns her head towards him

"This isn't your fault Zuko, thank you for trying to help me but i'm too far gone. One day we can see each other again and be siblings without the pressure of being royal on our shoulders. But Zuko please don't let the nation forget about me. I used to be loved don't let it all be in vain please-" her words break into a sob. Zuko pulls his sisters hand into his own 

"You won't be forgotten Azula. Everyone deserves a second chance if you had said you were sick sooner, we could've tried again" he says hurt. 

"No even if i wasn't sick i'd be the same, it took getting sick for me to realize what i had done. Even now I can't trust myself, if i wasn't sick and i went home with you. Nobody knows if i would have fallen back into old habits. Back into fathers teachings" she says squeezing her brothers hand. 

"save a seat for me at the table brother, i'm always gonna be your sister" 

"One day we can see each other again, I'm sorry I couldn't help protect you" Zuko says through soft shaky sobs 

"and i'm sorry I hurt you I can never make that right, go be firelord and have a baby with Mai watch over Ty Lee"

"All is forgiven Azula"

"thank you firelord zuko, now hold my hand as i go okay?" Azula says as her breath gets shallow and her hands clasp around Zuko's. 

"I'm sorry it had to end this way sister" Zuko cries

"me too zuzu" Azula whispers as she let's out a deep exhale and shuts her eyes. Her body once so strong had fallen to the illness. But at least she got to say goodbye.


End file.
